Brad Pettitt’s April Update

2021-05-02

The State Election. A South-Metro Perspective.

By Brad Pettitt, MLC-elect for South Metropolitan Region

We made it. It was close ‒ way to close for comfort. When the above the line vote counting stopped being published we were 60 votes behind. But below the line votes got us there.

That means a couple of things :

First it means that each of your contributions to the South Metro campaign was absolutely essential. Seriously, without your efforts we would not even have a Greens presence in this parliament for the next four years.

Second the closeness the vote means that we also had to rely on preferences.

But going forward we can’t rely on just the hard work of volunteers like you combined with some fortunate preference flows ‒ we need to get the Greens base vote up.

Having a presence in the parliament will give us a stronger platform from which to rebuild and make sure that not only we can prosecute the argument for stronger action on issues from climate change to housing and homelessness but we can also use it as a basis for raising our profile and ultimately our vote in four years’ time.

There are many people to thank as success in South Metro really was a team effort.

I want to thank my Greens MLC colleagues Alison, Tim, Diane and Robin. While I am disappointed that we all won’t be in the Upper House together, I look forward to building on your efforts.

I also want to thank our South Metro Upper House candidates Lynn and Daniel and all 15 Lower House candidates and their campaign managers and volunteers; the doorknockers, phone bankers, leafleters, those who did data entry, those who put up core flutes, those who did hours of pre poll and on polling day, those who wrote letters, articles and media releases and spoke at events. I really couldn’t have done it without you.

I look forward to working with you all to bring about the changes that are much needed in this state.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if I can help in any way.

Header photo: Brad offering thanks to the South Metro campaigners, on 11^th April. _{Chris Johansen}